valiquet



(No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet 1.

L. P. VALIQUET. HAND MEASURE FOR GLOVES.

.No. 371,645. Patented Oct. 18,1887.

INVENTOR:

N. PETERS. Pholciniwgrzyher, Washinllo'n, D C

(No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet 2. v L. P. VALIQUET.

HAND MEASURE FOR QLOVES.

Patented Oct. 18, 1887.

INVENTOR; WITNESSES: 27

By his Attorneys. msdwmm 6 gamma-,1 V @M/% Lithographer, Washinglom D. c.

UNITED STATES PATENT ()FFI-CE.

LOUIS P. VALIQUET, OF BROOKLYN, ASSIGNOR TO VALIQUET & RADOLIFF,

OF NEW YORK, N. Y.

HAND-MEASURE FOR GLOVES.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 371,645, dated October 18, 1887.

Application filed January 24, 1887. Serial No. 225,251. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that 1, Louis P. VALIQUEI, a citizen of the United States, residing in Brooklyn, in the county of Kings and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements-in Hand-Measures for Gloves, of which the following is a specification.

In selling gloves itis customary to measure the hand of the customer by means of a tapemeasure, which is passed around the hand. These tape-measures are inconvenient in use, are unsightly, and are liable to become misplaced. I

My invention provides a n1easuring-instru- I 5 -ment the use of which is more convenient and expeditious than that of the usual tape, and which is ornamental in appearance and sufficiently large and conspicuous to prevent the liability of its becoming mislaid upon the :0 counter. Some efforts have been made toward the improvement of glove-measures by constructing the tape in a loop with one end fastened to a base piece or block which is designed to rest upon the counter, and upon which the customer mustlay his hand, thrusting it at the same time through the loop of the tape. In suchinstruments the graduation has been marked upon the tape itself, and it has been found inconvenient for the salesman to read the size indicated, since the instrument, being placed upon the counter, has been so low that in order to enable one to look closely at the graduating-marks it was necessary for him to stoop over to an inconvenient extent.

3 5 The use of such instruments has also been somewhat inconvenient and annoying to the customer.

The instrument provided by my invention is not intended as a fixture, but is designed 0 and especially adapted to be held in the hand of the salesman while taking the measurement. To this end the measuring devices are mounted on a'handle adapted to be grasped by, for instance, the left hand of the salesman, while 4 5 with his right hand he manipulates the instrument. On the handle is mounted a box or case containing the moving parts, and on this box or case is any suitable pad or rest, on which the hand of the customer is to be placed while being measured. A measuring-band is looped above this pad, one end being fastened to the case and the other end passing into the same, where it is connected to a winding drum or reel therein. The measuringband is not graduated, but instead thereof the moving parts within the casing and the casing itself are made to constitute an indicator, the one being provided with graduations and the other with a pointer or index, or other equivalent means of affording an indication of the measurement. Means are provided for rotat ing the drum or reel in order to wind up the free end of the band and contract the loop closely around the hand being measured.

Figure 1 of the accompanying drawings isa 5 front elevation of one construction of handmeasuring instrument made according to my invention. Fig. 2 is a side elevation thereof. Fig. 3 is a fragmentary front elevation thereof, partly broken away in vertical mid-section. 7O Fig.4 is a fragmentary side vie\v,partly in vertical transverse mid-section. Fig. 5 is a rear view of another construction embodying my invention in its preferred form, the view being partly in vertical mid-section. Fig. 6 is a side 7 5 view, mainly in verticaltransverse section, of the same construction. Fig. 7 is aplan of the instrument shown in Figs. 5 and 6, the meas uring-band being in section on the line 7 7 in Fig. 5; and Fig. 8 is afragmentary front View showing a modification of the indicator. 7

Referring to the drawings, let A designate the handle of the instrument; B, the case or box which incloses the working parts; 0, the pad or rest on which the hand to be measured 8 is to be placed, and D the measuring tape or band.

The handle A is of any convenient form or dimensions, and may project in any direction relatively to the other parts of the instrument 0 as may be considered most convenient.

The case B is a circular box made of sheet metal or other material, and is fixed securely upon the end of the handle A. I

The pad 0 may be made in any desired way, 5 and is fastened to or over the case B. I prefer to cover the pad 0 with plush or other ornamental covering, the layer of plush in the sectional views being designated by a, and being shown as stretched over a metal disk, I2. I03

In Figs. 3 and 4 the plush or' other covering is fastened at the edge by the disk I) being sprung or snapped over a disk or plate, 0, the edge of the plush being caught and confined between the two. In Fig. 5 the edge of the plush is shown as being fastened by the turning under of the edge of the metal disk b. In the former case the pad is fastened to the box or case D by screws d engaging the disk 0, and in the latter case the disk I) is fastened directly to the box by a single screw, d.

One end of the measuring band or tape D is fastened beneath the pad 0, and extends thence in a loop around and over the pad, and passes beneath the same on the opposite side thereof, where it enters the case B. Within the case is mounted a rotz'itive winding drum or reel, E, to the periphery of which the free end of the measuring-band is attached. On rotating the drum E in the proper direction the free end of the band is wound upon the drum, and is consequently drawn into the case, thereby drawing the loop smaller, as indicated by dotted lines in Fig. This movement may be imparted to the drum by any suitable mechanism-such, for instance, as a knob or crank, the former of which is shown in dotted lines in Fig. 4-but I prefer to rotate the drum by means of a cord or chain,which iswound upon it, and which, on being pulled, nnwinds therefrom and carries the drum with it. This is the construction shown in the drawings, wherein e designates the cord or chain; f, a tassel or knob by which to grasp it; and g, in Figs. 4, 5, and 6, agroove formed on the drum E, in which the cord or cliainis wound. The cord or chain is attached at one end to the drum, is carried around the same in the groove 9, and passes out tangentially through an opening, 71, in the case. The tassel or ball f is thus in convenient position to be grasped by the operator with the fingers of his right hand while his left hand is holding the handle A.

The customer inserts his hand through the loop ofthe band B, and the salesman or operator then pulls the cord or chain, and thereby contracts the loop until it is drawn closely around the hand. While holding it thus, the salesman observes the size that is indicated by the instrument. I have shown two ways of effecting this indication. Referring to Figs. 1 and 4, the front face of the drum E is graduated with a circular scale or dial and with numbers marked thereon corresponding in arrangement to the numbers of the different successive sizes of gloves to be measured. In the front of the case B is a hole or opening, 2', through which a portion of the graduation on the drum is exposed to view, as clearly shown in Fig. 1. A small pointer is formed in the margin of this opening at j to indicate which portion of the scale is to be read. When the salesman, by glancing at the indication afforded at this opening, has read the size of the hand being measured, he releases the cord or chain, and the loop at once re-expands,whereupon the customers hand is removed. This re-expansion of the loop maybe effected by the elasticity of the measuring-band, this band being preferably made of a steel band; but as this is not to be fully relied upon for the purpose, I prefer to provide a spring for retracting the drum E, as clearly shown at 7c in Figs. 5 and 6. Upon the release of the cord or chain this spring at once rotates the drum backwardly, winds in the cord or chain, and feeds out the measuring-band.

Figs. 5, 6, and 7 show the construction of measuring-instrument which I prefer. The measuring-band passes partly through the pad 0, instead ofentirely beneath the same,thercby rendering the instrument somewhat more compact. To prevent chafing of the plush or other covering of the pad by the movement of the band through it, and to impart a neat and finished appearance, I provide a small plate, in, which is fastened across the top of the pad and is formed at its ends with elongated eyes ll, through which the tape is passed. The case B is made of cup shape and has a circular cover or plate, a, to close its open rear side. To this platen are fixed two studs or pins, 1) and q, the former of which is in the center and constitutes the axis for the drum E, and the latter of which is at one side and serves for the attachment of the outer end of the spring k. The drum is annularly grooved to receive the spring k and pin g. In putting the parts together the plate n is soldered to the remainder of the case, care being taken to conceal the joint. Thus it is seen that there appears on the exterior of the case no indication of any pivots or internal pins. In this construction, also, the chain 0, instead of passing out tangentially through the side of the case B, extends out through the handle A, which is made with a metal tube, to, extending through it from end to end. To reduce friction, a small sheave, c, is arranged at the point where the chain passes from the case into the handle.

In Fig. 8 I have shown a modification of the indicator. The scale or graduation is marked upon the exterior of the case, and a rotating pointer or index, r, is employed to point out on this scale the size measured by the instrument. The drum E is fixed on a rotary spindle, s, which extends through the front of the case, and to the end of which the index 1' is fixed. Any other suitable construction of dial or other indicator may be substituted for those which I have shown.

My improved measuring-instrument has the advantage of being portable, quick and convenient to use,and accurate in its indications, the measurement being easily read and not liable to be mistaken, as is frequently the casein reading the graduations on a tape.

My invention may be modified in various ways without departing from its essential features. For example, both ends of the measuring-band may be wound up simultaneously. Any other suitable take-up device for drawing the free end of the band into the case may be used. If preferred, the handle A may be omitted and the case may be mounted on a of the combination of a looped measuringband, a casing to which one end of said band is fixed,while the other enters the same, a takeup device in said casing for drawing in the free end of said band, and an indicator in connection therewith for exhibiting the measurement.

3. A hand-measuring instrument consisting of the combination of a looped measuringband, a casing to which one end of said band is fixed and which is entered by the free end of said band, awinding device in said case for drawing in the free end of said band, an indicator for exhibiting the measurement, and a handle on which the parts are mounted.

4. A handmeasuring instrument consisting of the combination of a looped measuringband, a casing, a winding device in said casing for drawing in the end of, said'band, an indicator on said winding device and easing consisting of a graduated scale on the one part and a pointer on the other, and a handle on which the foregoing parts are mounted.

5. A hand-measuring instrument consisting of the combination of a looped measuringband, a casing to which one end of said band is fixed and into which the other end thereof enters, a winding-drum in said case, to which the free end of said band is attached, an actuating device for said drum attached thereto and projecting through the case to be manipulated on the exterior thereof, and a handle on which said parts are mounted.

6. A hand-measuring instrument consisting of the combination of a looped measuringband, a casing to which one end of said band is fixed and which is entered by the other end thereof, a winding-drum in said case, to which the free end of said band is attached, and a retracting-spring acting against said drum and tending to unwind the same and feed out the band.

7. A hand-measuring instrument consisting of the combination of a looped measuringband, a casing to which one end of said band is fixed and into which the other end thereof enters, a winding-drum in said case, to which the free end of said band is attached, and a cord or chain winding upon said drum and passing out through an opening in said case.

8. A hand-measuring instrument consisting of the combination of a looped measuringband, a casing to which one end of said band is fixed and into which the other end thereof enters, a winding-drum in said case, to which the free end of said band is attached, an actuating device for turning said drum, :1. graduated scale marked on said drum, and an open ing in said case through which a portion of said scale is visible.

9. A handmeasuring instrument consisting of the combination of a looped measuringband, a case into which one end of saidband enters, a winding-drum in said case, to which said band is attached, a tubular handle on which said case is mounted, and a cord or chain winding on said drum and passing out through said handle.

In witness whereof I have hereunto signed my name in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

LOUIS P. VALIQUET. Witnesses:

GEORGE H. FRASER, PASCHAL J. FERRARA. 

